Mike Shannon'Exclaim! Mix 03'

In continuing our ongoing mix series, we've dug deep this time to bring you one of Canada's most unsung movers and shakers. Hailing from Kitchener, Mike Shannon's work as a producer has landed him on cutting-edge labels like Force Inc., ~scape and beloved womp factory Plus 8 Records.

His sets are a joy to behold, often fluttering between house, techno and a wealth of unknown gems from the dusty crates of tucked-away basements. Anyone lucky enough to see him perform with Berlin native DeWalta is in for a jazzy treat. Likewise, anyone who listens to Shannon's Exclaim! Mix is in for precisely the same.

As founder of Cynosure and former head A&R for Revolver Canada, Shannon has been hand-picking talent for the past 10 years; he was one of the first to bring artists like Akufen and Deadbeat to people's attention. His newer label, Haunt (which is the focus of this mix), has been building momentum since 2009. It also recently released the second album by Blue Fields, a collaborative effort between Shannon and guitarist Takeshi Nishimoto.

All in all, Mike Shannon is a curator: he picks the best. And that's what makes this latest mix such an enjoyable listen. For any fans of Haunt, Cynosure or Shannon himself — or for those who wish to be immediately hooked into bubbling funk, led down the steps to an off-piste jazz bar, and brought back into the welcoming rays of minimal house — please scroll down to listen.

Here's what Shannon had to say about the mix and his tracklist:

I wanted to put together a sampler of what the sound of my label Haunt Music is up to now, and where we've been. The first section features some unreleased material touching a more analogue synth-jam-funk sound from the Mole, Fabel and me. Then I progress into some deep, ambient jazz territory, showcasing the sound of the latest Blue Fields album. I enter into some deep minimal house, and then finally into the jazzy swing party side of the label. Ending things off is Haunt Music's masterpiece from Horror Inc., entitled "Dans La Nuit." Haunt Music has a broad spectrum in its catalogue and I think it's translated well into this 90-minute mix. I hope you enjoy it!